This application is co-pending with related patent applications entitled xe2x80x9cAutomated Communications Assistant and Methodxe2x80x9d Ser. No. 10/253,306 and xe2x80x9cFee Collection System and Method for Call Completionxe2x80x9d Ser. No. 10/253,755, each having at least one co-inventor and assignee in common with the instant application, and both being filed concurrently herewith and incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The systems and methods relate to communication networks, and more particularly to administering and displaying messages on the network.
Voice networks in current use may provide a range of features for administering calls on the network. For incoming calls, a caller identification feature can display the caller""s name or number to a user to allow the user to screen unwanted calls. Additional features may allow a user to block selected callers or to accept calls only from selected callers. Unidentified calls may be intercepted and the callers may be requested to identify themselves. The information is recorded and provided to the user, who may decide to accept or decline the call. When the user is not able to accept a call, the caller may leave a message, or the call may be forwarded to a number selected by the user. The user may also dial a code to return a missed call, or to reconnect to a previous incoming call. For outgoing calls, the user may have the network repeatedly dial a number that the user could not access and provide the user with a signal when the number has been reached. Network users may also choose to block their own caller identification information from being displayed to the receiver.
While the above features may provide increased functionality and convenience for the networks in which they are employed, there may be a number of instances where these networks do not provide the functionality and convenience that some users may require. As an example, the features may be difficult to implement, requiring a user to remember access codes and/or requiring substantial user input. Other limitations may exist when users block their own caller identification information, in that the block may prevent all call recipients from access to the information. Also, a user may not be available to respond to the signal when the network has finally connected with a number that could not be accessed. Oftentimes, the caller identification information is insufficient for the user to make an intelligible decision to receive the call or not. These limitations and others as perceived by the users of current networks may decrease the overall number of subscribers to such networks.
A method and system for administering communications on a network allows a user to selectively determine which calls will be accepted and assists the user in placing calls to other users on the network. The user may establish a list of users whose calls will be accepted and may also establish a list of users whose calls will not be accepted. The method and system may provide unwanted callers with an option to speak with the user for a fee. Users may establish xe2x80x9cbusiness cardxe2x80x9d headers, or profiles, which serve to identify the user to a called party. The user may also maintain profiles for received calls by using the xe2x80x9cbusiness cardxe2x80x9d header provided by the caller, or by inputting caller profiles. The method and system may also be used in conjunction with a scheduling system, such that calls amongst two or more users will be initiated at an agreed upon time.
Embodiments of the method and system may include a method for displaying messages by connecting to a network to receive messages from the network, determining identification information for the messages received, converting the identification information to output video signals corresponding to the identification information and displaying the output video signals to a user of the system on a television. The messages may be phone messages, email messages and/or connectivity messages to inform the user when other users selected by the user may be connected to the network. The method and system may convert voice messages to text messages and combine the text messages with the identification information. The user may select between the television signal display and the identification information video signal display. The method and system may record the television signals interrupted when the user selects the video signal display. The method and system can maintain a listing of messages received and the listing can indicate actions taken by the user with respect to the messages on the message listing, which can include acknowledgement, message response, message transfer and message deletion.